The Flying Ant National Championships 2012-2013, which is being held at MBSC in Perth, serves as a perfect training ground for sailors to try out the symmetrical and asymmetric spinnakers as they take one big step towards manning larger class boats such as 420s and the 49ers.

Ant sailors in the competition are aged from nine to 15 years old with male, mixed and female skipper crew combinations. Many current Flying Ant sailors are aspiring to move into the 29er class following the footsteps of older siblings participating in the 9ers National regatta in Melbourne.

Current 49er sailors such as Steve Thomas Luke Parkinson, ‘Fang’ Warren and Tom Johnson all started their sailing careers in Flying Ants.